New Temple Students: Be Proud

Temple University Convocation

August 26, 2007

The Liacouras Center

Good afternoon. Thank you for being here today to celebrate the beginning of the new academic year at Temple University. I can already tell from the excitement on campus over these past four days that it is going to be an extraordinary year.

To Temple faculty and staff, welcome back.  This is an era of great promise for Temple, and I am honored to work with you in strengthening the university’s preeminence as a leader in education, research and service. I greatly appreciate all you are doing to make Temple a stronger institution for our students.

To all of you in the incoming class, welcome to Temple! As you enter the classroom tomorrow you are beginning a stage of your life that holds tremendous promise and opportunity. The choices that you make over the next several years will establish your life’s direction. The relationships you form will shape your character. And the knowledge you acquire will prepare you to meet future challenges. I know you are ready.

You are a remarkable group in your determination and commitment to excellence.  You are also remarkable for your number.  With just more than 4,300, you represent the largest freshman class in Temple University history.  With the addition of 2,700 transfer students, we have achieved a record enrollment, with more than 7,000 new undergraduates this year.

About 53 percent of you are from Philadelphia and the four surrounding Pennsylvania counties.  Sixteen percent are from areas of Pennsylvania outside Greater Philadelphia.  Twenty-five percent of you represent the rest of the United States, and another five percent are from nations abroad.

And, true to Temple’s historic position as one of the most socially and ethnically diverse institutions in the nation, almost one out of every three of you identify yourself as a person of color. In fact, this week The Princeton Review rated Temple’s student body the most diverse in the nation.

There is another milestone to celebrate today: More than 450 of you are “legacies,” with at least one parent holding a Temple degree. That number has more than doubled over the past two years, and we could not be more pleased. Thank you for making Temple a family tradition.

You all have worked so hard to get to here, and I want you to know that you have many reasons to be proud of your choice to become a Temple student.

You have reason to be proud, because by joining Temple you have chosen to attend an urban university, to participate in the community and have a meaningful impact on society.

You have already made your first commitment, through your participation in FreshServe yesterday. Whether you were pushing a broom, using a paint brush, pulling weeds or planting flowers, your work had meaning and impact. There will be many opportunities for you to do more. Temple students, faculty and staff engage in a wide range of service and research activities that benefit our immediate neighborhood, the broader city and people and communities throughout the region and around the world. I hope you will join in these activities and build upon the foundation of service that you established upon your arrival to Temple.

You have reason to be proud to be Temple students, because here you are taking the first steps in becoming global citizens.

Your lives will be shaped by the continued development of a global society in which technology has made physical distance inconsequential, the world’s economic systems are increasingly interdependent, and cultures have become inexorably intertwined.

At Temple you will be given the tools to excel in this new world, but it will be up to you to put them to use. Take advantage of Temple’s educational opportunities and learning activities in Latin America, Europe and Asia. Explore Temple’s campuses in Tokyo or Rome. Take an international internship. Study abroad.

I believe so strongly in the necessity of international educational experiences that my husband, Randy, and I have established a scholarship fund to support the cost of passport fees for new Temple undergraduates who intend to study abroad and are applying for a passport for the first time. I hope you will take advantage of this program and seek every opportunity to learn about and participate in the world beyond our borders.

You have reason to be proud to be a Temple student, because you are joining a university that is committed both to teaching and the advancement of knowledge.

Temple is recognized for academic excellence. The university brings together world-class scholars and bright students to form a vibrant learning community.

You are attending a university with great depth and breadth. Temple has more than 300 academic degree programs. At the same time, we remain true to our status as a comprehensive research university by expanding our emphasis on the development of new knowledge. The number of faculty members who have at least $1 million in external research funding has more than doubled in the past three years, evidence of our increasing prominence as a center for research and development.

At a time when most universities are losing faculty members, Temple is in the midst of a hiring effort that is bringing 300 new teachers from the world’s leading universities to your classrooms, your labs, and your studios. You will benefit directly from the knowledge and expertise they will offer.

You have reason to be proud to be a Temple student, because you are joining an alumni community that extends around the world.

In a precious few years, at Commencement, you will exit this very building in cap and gown and begin your journey in the world. But you will not be alone. Temple has more than 245,000 alumni in all 50 states and over 160 countries, and they are making a difference in every aspect of society. In the Philadelphia region, we proudly note that one in every eight college-educated residents holds a degree from Temple.

With a Temple education as their foundation, our alumni have achieved success in every aspect of human endeavor.  They are artists, lawyers, physicians, entrepreneurs--almost every life pursuit you can imagine. They are eager to serve as mentors, advisors and advocates for fellow Owls whose career or life interests intersect. As Temple students, you ultimately benefit from a strong alumni community, through connections that might can your own journey just a little easier.

But you don’t need to wait until you graduate to tap into this network. This summer, Temple launched MyOwlSpace, a new online community that connects alumni from around the world. As Temple students, you can connect with alumni who share your interests. If you visit the Temple homepage—www.temple.edu—you will find a direct link.

You have reason to be proud to be a Temple student, because you are joining a Great University in a Great City.

For many of you, your decision to come to Temple was no doubt influenced strongly by its urban location. As a Temple student, you are becoming part of the energy and excitement that makes Philadelphia great.

National Geographic Traveler has called this the quintessential Great American City. I urge you to explore its neighborhoods, parks and museums, to take advantage of its rich cultural and entertainment scene and to enjoy the cheese steaks, Philadelphia Water Ice and pretzels that are uniquely Philly.

As the first generation of students to be introduced to Temple through our incredible new Welcome and Tech Centers, you have already had a glimpse of Temple’s recent growth. And the cranes and construction sites you see around campus are signs that campus is still on the move. Alter Hall, the beautiful new addition to the Fox School of Business and Management, is beginning to take shape. And you will be among the first to experience the vibrant new arts enclave that will result from Tyler School of Art’s new home that is now being built on main campus.

For all these reasons, and many others, you should feel great pride in your new status as a Temple student.

The next several years of your life will be truly special.  You will build enduring relationships with peers, faculty and administration. You will experience growth socially, emotionally and intellectually. And you will set the stage for whatever course you choose to pursue in your lifetime.

I know that you will make the most of your great potential, and will achieve success at Temple and in your lives long after you leave here. And I am indeed proud to welcome you to your University.

Welcome to Temple.